1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices and methods for protecting objects with electronic components.
2. Description of Related Art
It is known that electrical components can be controlled remotely by radio signals. A typical application is an electronic alarm system and/or drive lock of a vehicle, which the user activates or deactivates with a transmitter. In this case, it does not matter whether the transmitter radiates directly (e.g., through infrared transmission) or public radio serves or telephone networks are connected in between. However, if anti-theft protection is implemented in such a way that the object to be protected can be reactivated by disconnecting or bridging the protection device, then the protection is practically useless.
Typical characteristics and problems of such protection will be explained with the example of a vehicle. In principle, such a protection can be used for all objects with an electronic component. This can include, among other things: radio telephone (“handies”), (Euro-)Check and money cards, credit cards, telephone cards, keys for electronic lock systems, mobile electronic devices such as cassette recorders, CD players, clocks, computers, etc.
It is known that vehicles with mechanical and/or electric anti-theft protection devices can be reactivated by disassembly or bridging. This applies especially to expensive vehicles, where the entire vehicle can simply be transported by organized bands and worked on at a safe place. It is also known that vehicles with an electronic drive lock, often part of the motor control, can only be reactivated at great expense and with special knowledge. Often, reactivation is possible only with an original key and/or by involving a contract workshop.
Since with a stolen original key the vehicle can be made ready to drive immediately, a change from simple vehicle theft to theft by personal threat is being observed. Deactivation by a small hand transmitter a few hundred meters away could be conceived, but this brings the danger that the victim himself is placed in danger if the culprit becomes aware of the existence of the transmitter.
In order to make certain that the proper owner is protected, concepts have already been thought up in which the vehicle regularly receives radio signals for release of the electronics and is deactivated if these signals are absent. In a stolen vehicle, these signals can then be turned off intentionally, so that the vehicle can no longer be operated. This, however, has the disadvantage that when a radio gap appears, which is repeatedly the case with mobile telephones, further driving is no longer possible. In addition, a gapless coverage of the radio range must also be provided in other countries, since a temporary turning off of the protection during a stay abroad again makes the protection absurd. Such protection, however, means a strong restriction for legal users and therefore cannot be put on the market.
It is also known that there are devices in which a circuit in the vehicle can be activated that deactivates the ignition electronics. Such systems can be realized through a telephone connection that the user activates by dialing a particular number assigned to the vehicle receiver. Here too, global accessibility of the vehicle must be considered. These systems, however, could be circumvented by removing the receiver from the vehicle or by correspondingly shielding it from receiving signals, so that a blocking of the ignition electronics no longer occurs.
For universal protection, therefore, the system must be constructed in such a way that reactivation cannot take place through the user himself, for otherwise the information necessary for this could be obtained by force. Also, deactivation of the system must be able to take place at any time after the theft. This deactivation can also be performed by third parties, so that a threat to or even killing of the owner does not help. For a thief, therefore, stealing such an object has no value, since within a few hours it will no longer have its desired functionality.